Global Accelerator Lab (GALAB) project

3 September 2024

Objective

The Global Accelerator Lab (GALAB) project contributes to the establishment and operationalization of the ILO's initative "8.7 Accelerator Lab", which aims to accelerate the replication of good practices and identify new solutions to end child labour and forced labour globally.

In order to achieve this objective, the project focuses on four key cross-cutting markers: innovative solutions which is a cross-cutting marker that supports the actions of the project, at the global, regional and country levels, guided by the other three markers: due diligence and transparency in supply chains, strengthening workers’ voice, and social protection. These markers have been identified both based on past successful experience and on bringing in innovative approaches.

Strategy

GALAB project markers: Achieving results through collaboration

The GALAB project had identified four key markers to achieve its goals:

  1. Innovation: Building on successful initiatives, the project establishes a knowledge management system. This system leverages ILO expertise and fosters exchange of good practices related to the elimination of child labour. The project also pilots and promotes innovative solutions to address child labour and forced labour globally, regionally, and nationally.
  2. Strengthening workers' voice: Recognizing the importance of workers' rights, the project emphasizes strengthening their voices and their social protection. This includes supporting the organization of workers in the informal economy, particularly rural workers and small producers. Additionally, the project enhances existing trade unions' capacity to combat child labour and forced labour through awareness raising, access to information, and complaint mechanisms.
  3. Social protection: The project acknowledges the crucial role of social protection in reducing child labour. The project promotes extending coverage to vulnerable households in target countries. This ensures equitable access and strengthens their resilience, ultimately helping to keep children in school and out of labour.
  4. Due diligence and transparency in supply chains: The project recognizes the growing focus on businesses' responsibility to respect human rights. The project supports due diligence frameworks that assess and address child labour and forced labour risks within companies' operations and supply chains. The project collaborates with the ILO's Child Labour Platform (CLP) and the ILO's Global Business Network on Forced Labour (GBNFL) to achieve this.

Outcome

  • Globally (Outcome 1): The project strengthens the multi-stakeholder partnership Alliance 8.7 by collaborating with partners on global initiatives to accelerate progress towards ending child labour. This includes supporting the ILO's Child Labour Platform (CLP) and the ILO's Global Business Network on Forced Labour (GBNFL) in their respective areas of expertise.
  • Regionally (Outcome 2): The project strengthens the capacity of governments, social partners, and other stakeholders in Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean (including activities at the national level in Brazil), to address child labour and forced labour. This is achieved through collaboration on regional strategies, knowledge sharing platforms, and targeted capacity building activities. One of these platforms is the Regional Initiative Latin America and the Caribbean Free of Child Labour (RILAC).
  • Nationally (Outcome 3): The project works directly with governments, social partners, and other stakeholders in beneficiary countries, like Brazil, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Malaysia and Nigeria. Through collaborative efforts, the project strengthens national policies and builds local expertise to eliminate child labour, forced labour, and human trafficking, ensuring long-term sustainability and lasting impact. This approach fosters national ownership and empowers local communities to address these complex issues.

Countries and sectors covered

  • Brazil (domestic labour)
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo (mining)
  • Ghana (fishing on Lake Volta)
  • Ivory Coast (cocoa)
  • Malaysia (palm oil)
  • Mauritania (domestic labour)
  • Nigeria (cocoa)
  • Somalia (governance)

Implementing partners

Global partnerships, regional organizations, national governments, employers’ and workers' organizations, businesses, research institutions and civil society organizations.

Development partner

The Global Accelerator Lab (GALAB) project is funded by the United States Department of Labor (USDOL) under cooperative agreement No. IL-37950-21-75-K / IL-37950-F12. One hundred percent of the total costs of the project is financed with federal funds, for a total of US$ 13,470,744. This page web does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the United States Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the United States Government.